Manchester United will bid farewell to their fans when they play Hull City in their final Premier League home match of the season at Old Trafford on Tuesday in circumstances virtually unimaginable when Alex Ferguson retired a year ago.

On May 12 last year, Ferguson took charge of his final home match after 26 years at the helm with a 13th title under his stewardship already assured.

Amid scenes of celebration, a 2-1 win over Swansea City provided a fitting finale to his tenure with the Scot imploring fans to "get behind our new manager" David Moyes.

One year on, the title has gone, Moyes has gone and United are scrabbling for points against a Hull City side managed by former Red Devils skipper Steve Bruce, who has taken Hull to the FA Cup final for the first time in club history.

United, now under interim manager Ryan Giggs, can no longer finish higher than sixth and even victories in their last two matches may not be enough to achieve that should Tottenham Hotspur pick up a point against Aston Villa on Sunday.

A seventh-place finish will mean United, who end their campaign at Southampton on Sunday, will miss out on European football next season for the first time since 1990.

Veteran French fullback Patrice Evra, who is 33 next week and out of contract this summer, described United's season as a "nightmare" after Saturday's 1-0 home defeat to Sunderland and said the side deserved all the criticism being aimed at them.

"We have been really poor," the former France international told reporters.

"We deserve all the criticism. We have not played well enough. We have lost some stupid games.

"When we are on the pitch, we try to win every game but it's been so painful this season, it's been a nightmare. When I look at the table, I just feel a big frustration. This year is a season I want to forget really quickly."

SEVENTH DEFEAT

Saturday's defeat was their seventh at home in the league as Sunderland became the latest side to end a long wait for victory at Old Trafford.

Their last win there came in 1968 and they followed Everton, Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion, who also won there for the first time in decades, as well as Swansea City, who won there for the first time ever in the FA Cup in January.